Cushion shoe



Sept. 22, 1936. A y J. H. EvERsToN 2,055,072 u i CUSHION sHoE Fid Jan. 2e, 1955 INVENTOR #MIN-mm. BY /Mwm ATToRNEYs Patented Sept. 22, 1936 PATENT OFFICE oUsmoN snor: Joseph n. Evers'ton, Milwaukee, wis.

A Application January 26, 1935, Serial No. 3,560 f 11 claims. (ci. :i6-es) 'Ihis invention relates to improvements in cushion shoes.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a satisfactory organization whereby a stitch-down shoe may be cushioned.

In ordinary shoes of the Goodyear welt type there is a space attributable to the inseam ridge between the insole and the outsole, and in this space a cushion may readily be accommodated. In the stitch-down shoe there is no such space, and the provision of a thick cushion in such a shoe has therefore oiered a difficult problem.

. I have found it practicable to cushion the sole of of a stitch-down shoe by using two extremely thin plies of cushioning material, oneof which is above the middle sole and the other beneath it, thereby avoiding undue bulkiness at either point and achieving certain other objectives of this invention.

It is very common for the soles of stitch-down shoes to squeak badly. I have found that by using two extremely thin plies of sponge rubber or other` yieldable 4cushioning material to separate the several soles of a stitch-down shoe all squeaking may be eliminated, the yieldability of the cushioning plies between each pair of soles being y from cupping around the edges, as it frequently does when the cushioning plies are omitted as in the conventional stitch-down construction.

' Other objects of the invention include specically a special heel construction for cushion stitch-down shoes, a special metatarsal arch support for stitch-down cushion shoes, and a special middle sole construction whereby the middle Vsole and upper and lower cushion plies are mechanically interconnected to x their relative positions independently of adhesive such as the cement commonly used for this purpose,

In stitch-down shoes it is common to experience a buckling of the lloating inner sole if the shoe is bent sharply. Where two sponge rubber plies are interleaved between the several soles and cemented thereto in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the yielding characteristics of the rubber enables the cement to hold and denitely to prevent any tendency of the inner sole to buckle regardless of the extent to which the shoe is flexed. 5

lIn the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the lower portion of a stitch-down shoe embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the middle sole of a 10 stitch-down shoe embodying the present invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the insole of such a shoe.

Figure 4 is a view of the shoe shown in Figure 15 1 as it appears in transverse cross section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The lining 5 is lasted beneath the margin of 20 the insole 6, and the margin of the upper l. is turned outwardly in the conventional manner. Immediately below the insole 6, however, there is incorporated a yieldable ply 8 which may conveniently be made of sponge rubber or the like, 25 and which is preferably cemented to the lower surface of the insole 6 and the lower surfaces of the margin of the lining 5, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The midsole 9 is applied below the cushion ply 30 8 and cemented thereto. The midsole preferably has apertures lll of substantial size into which portions of the cushion ply 8 are receivable when such ply is subjected to pressure. This arrangement tends to anchor the cushion ply 8 and the 35 midsole 9 respecting each other.

Intermediate its length the midsole 9 may optionally be provided with a larger aperture Il containing a cushion plug which is somewhat thicker than the midsole and consequently is adapted to provide a certain degree of yieldable arch support.

In its heel portion, the midsole may have a further opening l5 and a plug IB of yieldable material such as sponge rubber. This plug, however, is preferably no thicker than the rest of the midsole and is merely adapted to accumulate beneath the heelbone the yielding characteristics of the two separate plies of sponge rubber incorporated between the several soles. A similar preferential degree of yieldability is provided beneath the load bearing portions of the foot through the simple expedient of inserting plugs of sponge rubber to make the midsole yieldable at these points.

'To the under surface of the midsole 9 there is preferably cemented a secondvcushion ply I1 having approximately the same dimensions as the cushion ply 8. In other words, the cushion ply I1 is preferably materially narrower and shorter than the midsole 9, whereby to permit the outsole I8 to marginally engage the midsole 9 in the conventional manner. The respective margins of the outsole I8, midsole 9, and upper 1, together with the welt I9, are all secured together by stitching as usual. 'I'he outsole ispreferably anchored by cement to the lower sponge rubber ply I1, 'whereby all three soles are cemented to the intervening sponge rubber plies for yieldable connection respecting each other, such connection being supplemented mechanically by the inter-engagement of the two cushion plies 8 and I1 in the apertures I of the midsole.

Beneath the heelbone and the ball of the foot (and also beneath the central portion of the longitudinal arch if the plug II, 2 is employed) the cushioning action of the upper ply 8 and the lower ply I1 is accumulated through the cushion plugs independently of any resistance which might otherwise be offered by the stiffness of the midsole. Since the midsole is very thin, however, and is anchored downwardly rather than upwardly at its margins, it will readily yield bodily in a downward direction, and consequently'under the load of the foot the cumulative eect of the two cushion plies 8 and I1 is readily apparent.

K A-s shown in Fig. 3, the oating insole 6 is preferably provided with small holes which may conveniently be disposed above the margins of plugs I6, I2 and I6. These holes perform a dual function. Insofar as the material of sponge rubber ply 8 expands into these holes it tends -to supplement the action of the adhesive in anchoring the oating insole against displacement respecting the midsole. Additionally, the row of holes so weakens the portion of the insole above the rubber plugs as to permit such insole portions increased iiexibility whereby to enable them to respond to the increased resilience afforded by the addition of the plugs at these special points.

Obviously, the advantages of the present invention may to some extent be obtained despite the omission of either one of the sponge rubber plies 8 or I1. Only by using both plies in the relation specied, however, can the several soles be yielrlably anchored together to `obtain all the various mechanical advantages of the present invention.

I claim: 1. A stitch-down shoe comprising three soles having load bearing portions and thin xplies of `cushion material interposed between the said p ortions ofv the several soles, whereby such portions are yieldably supported out of contact with yeach other.

, 2. A stitch-down shoe comprising the combina- `tiorrwith an upper turned marginally outwardly.

and' "aj lining turned marginally inwardly, of a floating insole beneath which said lining extends,

Y al cushion ply beneath said insole and'within said upper, a midsole beneath said cushion ply and exy tending' therebeyond to underlie-the margin `of said upper, a seeond cushion ply beneath the midsole and substantially smaller in-area than said midsole, and an outsole beneath said second cushion ply and with which said midsole and upper are marginally connected outside of said second cushion ply.

3. A stitch-down shoe comprising the combination with three spaced soles, cushion plies interposed between the several soles, the intermediate sole being apertured beneath the heelbone, and a cushion plug interposed in said aperture and arranged to directly supplement the cushioning eiect of said cushion plies and plug beneath the heelbone.

4. A stitch-down shoe comprising the combinatures yieldably engaged byu the material of such n plies, whereby mechanically to tend to interlock the midsole and the respective cushion plies against relative displacement.

5. In a cushion shoe, the combination with an insole and an outsole, of a midsole centrally apertured, and a cushion plug xed in the aperture of the midsole and arranged to provide a yieldable arch support.

6. In a stitch-down cushion shoe, the combination with an upper and a lining, of an insole to which the lining is secured, an voutsole to which the upper is secured, a midsole between the inner sole and the. outsole substantially coextensive with the outsole and having its margins coniined between the outsole and the upper and provided with an opening at the heel, a welt applied over the margins of the upper, stitching connecting the Welt, and the marginal portions of the outsole, midsole and upper independently of the inner sole, and a cushion plug fixed in the opening of the midsole and positioned by the stitching which anchors the margin of the midsole to provide special cushioning beneath the heel bone.

'1. In a cushion stitch-downv shoe, the combination with an upper, an outer sole and an inner sole havingload sustaining portions and means connecting said upper marginally to said outsole about said portions, of a cushion ply in contact with one of said soles and substantially co-extensive with the load sustaining portion thereof, a midsole interposed between said ply and the other of said soles and'held marginally by said connecting means and provided with at least one aperture, and a cushion plug inserted in said e aperture.

nation with an outer sole andan inner sole, of a cushion ply in contact with one of said soles, a midsole interposed between said ply and the other of said soles and having a plurality of apertures beneath the load bearing portions of the foot, and cushion plugs in said apertures supplementing the resilience of said cushion ply.

9. In a stitch-down shoe, the combination with an outer sole, a midsole, and a oating insole, of` cushion plies between` said outsole and midsoleA and between said midsole and'insole, each of said plies beingv cemented in face contact with the soles at either side thereof, whereby yieldably to connect said several soles throughout their area against displacement and buckling.

10. In a stitch-down cushion shoe, the combination with an upper and a lining. of an insole to which saidlinins is secured. an outsole to which said upper is secured, a midsole between the inner soie and the outer sole-and having its margins conned between the outsole and the upper. means connectingthe outsole, the midsole v v and the upper.- and at least onecushion ply between the midsole and the outer sole and dis-` posed wholly within the line of connection between said upper andthe outer sole. v

i1. In s. cushioned shoe. the combination with a pairof mutually spaced soles, one of which comprises a doa-ting insole. and thel outer oi' which has apertures, of- 'an elastically yieldable cushion interposed between said soles and cemented to each thereof, said cushion being elssresistance being supplementary'to the resistance of the cement.

l JOSEPH EVM-TON. 

